Remote-control electric switch.



T Charlgys Emile Pellefi r C. E. 'PELLETIER.

REMOTE CONTROL ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. 1915. RENEWED pm. 2, 19171 1 ,254,534; Patented Jan. 22, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES l/VVE/VTOR ATTORNEYS p C. E. PELLETIER.

REMOTE CONTROL ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. 19l 5- RENEWED OCT. 2, WW.

1,254,534, Patented Jan. 22,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I I NIH 9 To Serwce MCI/n5 INVENTOR Charles Emile Pellefier" A TTOR/VEVS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES'EMILE PELLETIER, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

REMOTE-CONTROL ELECTRIC SWITCH.

specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an. 22, 1918.

Application filed February 2, 1915, Serial No. 5,653. Renewed October 2, 1917. Serial li 'o. 194,416.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES. EMILE Pm.- LETIER, a citizen of the Republlc of France, and a resident of New Orleans, in the par sh of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and Improved Remote-Control Electric Switch, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a remote control switch for electric circuits whereby the switch can be opened or controlled from a point more or less remote.

The invention has for its general objects to improve and simplify the construction and operation of electric switches of the character referred to so as to be reliable and efficient in use, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and keep in repair, and so designed that it is capable of either automatic or manual operation, chattering is avoided, and positive closing secured.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a switch having one or a lurality of sets of contacts correspon ing with the phases or lines in which the movable contact or contacts are thrown into and out of open or closed circuit osition by a solenoid having separate win ings and independently energize'd from' the service mains or other source, the circuits of the windings being opened and closed by electromagnetic switches arranged in local circuitsthat are controlled by push buttons or the like at a point more or less remote from the main switch. I

Still another objectof the invention is the provision of a novel arrangement of a main switch an operating solenoid therefor, and controlling electro-magnetic switches all moimted on a common support. 7

With such objects in view, and others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises various novel features of construction and arrangement of arts which will be set forth with particuarity in the following description and claims appended hereto. y

In the accom anying drawings, which illustrate one em. odiment of the invention and wherein similar charactersof reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, Figure 1 is a front view of the apparatus with portions in section to illustrate the details of construction; I

Fig.2 is a central vertical section of the apparatus; and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view ofthe various circuit connections.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a supporting plate or slab of suitable insulat ing material which carries the parts of the main switch, the operating solenoid therefor and the controlling switches for the circuits of the windings of the solenoid. In the present instance the main switch is made for a three-wire or three-phase circuit and includes a plurality of contacts 2, 3 and 4, all of the same construction, so that a description of one will suflice for all. Each system of circuit-closing means comprises contact studs 5 and 6, to which respectively the incoming and outgoing wires of the supply and load circuits are connected, and cooperating with these stud contacts a bridging contact 7 made of laminated springs, which bridging contact is fastened to an arm 8 pivoted on a horizontal axle 9. This axle is journaled in a bracket 10 fastened to the supporting plate or slab 1. Sparking contacts 11 are arranged between the upper contacts 5 and bridging contacts 7 in the usual manner.

Any suitable mechanical means may be employed to move the bridging contacts 7 for the various sets simultaneously. In the present instance a horizontal shaft 12 is mounted in bearings 13 in the forward extremities of the bracket arms 10, and on each shaft is pinned orotherwise secureda toggle arm 14 that is connected by one or more links .15 with its associated contact-carrying ,arm 8, so that by turning the shaft 12 in one "direction or the other the switch is opened or closed. Any suitable means may be providcd for preventing short-circuitmg between one set of contacts and another, as, for

instance, the shaft 12 may be made insections rigidly connected together by insulation couplings 16. The shaft 1.2 may be turned by hand to open or close the switch, and for this purpose the centrally-disposed arm 14 has rigidly fastened thereto a handle these windings operate on a' core 18 which moves vertically and has its upper end provided with a stem or rod 19 that IS connected with the hinge joint 20 between the central toggle members 14 and 15. As this hinge 20 swings in an arc of a circle concentric with the shaft 12 the solenoid ismounted to have a sliding movement, and for this purpose the lower extremity of the solenoid body 21 has oppositely-disposed journals or pivots 22 that are earned by bearings 23 on a bracket 24 fastened to the panel 1. Stifi'ening bars 25 have their lower ends connected with the pivots 22 and their upper ends are rigidly connected at 26 with the central bracket 10. On opposite sides of the main switch solenoid are switch, closing and opening control switches C and O which are electrically operated and can be energized from remote points. The opening switch 0 comprises a casing 27 carr1ed by or fastened to the left side of the bracket 24, and in this casing is a solenoid winding 28 which operates on a core 29 to pull the same downwardly when the winding 28 is energized. This core 29 carries a movable contact 30 adapted to enga e fixed contacts 31 and 32 which have inding posts 31 and 32", respectively, for connecting this main switch closing control sw itch in circuit. A spring 33 "operates on the core 29 to raise the same when the winding 28 is dee'nergized. The closing control switch C for the main switch comprises a casing 34 fastened to the right extremity of the bracket 24, and in this case is a winding 35 o erating on a core 36 which carries a mova le contact 37 engageable with contacts 38 and 39 which have binding posts 38 and 39 for connection with. a controlling circuit. The contact 38 is held in open position by gravity acting on it and the core 36, and when the solenoid winding 35 is energized the core is raised to close the circuit that effects the closing of the main switch;

The operation of the apparatus will now be described in connection with the diagram, Fig. 3. m, m m are the service mains which connect with the several stationary contacts 5, and .Z, Z Z are the leads for the load circuit and are connected respectively with the contacts 6. Wires 40 and 41 connect the terminals of the closing solenoid winding 0 with the mains m, m", and in the wire 40 are the contacts 38 and 39 of the closing control switch C, and when the movablecon-tact 37 of such switch engages the contacts 38 and 39 the winding 0 of the main solenoid is energized for the purpose of closing the main switch by mov-' ing the core 18 upwardly, which inturn throws the bridging ic'ontacts 7 to closed circuit position. The winding 35 of the controlling switch C is connected by wires 42 and 43 with a push button 46 from the circuit closing means, and a source of current 45, which may be a local battery,- or the line current may be used, the sald push button 46 being disposed at any suitable point with respect to the main switch.

The wires 40. and 41 have branches 40 and 41 to which the switch opening winding 0 of the solenoid S is connected, and in the wire 40 are contacts 31 and 32 that are adapted to be engaged by the contact 30 when the winding 28 of the controlling switch 0 is energized, whereby current will flow through the winding 0 of the solenoid S and thereby operate on the core 18 to open the main switch. The winding 28 of the opening control switch is connected by wires 43 and 42 with an opening push butswitch is closed, and for thisfopurpose, the

core 19 of the solenoid S has-aidownwardly extending stem ,50, whichl is 'vided with an adjustablestop 51, andthi is adapt ed to engage the inner end-5259f a lever 53, the outer end 54 of the lever being connected with the stem 36' connected with the core 36 of the closing solenoid.- "Normally the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, and when the solenoid C is energized the core 36 is raised and the lever 53 is tilted so that its inner end will be in engagement with the stop 51. As the core 18 is raised to close the main switch the lever 53 is returned to its original position, and thereby the core 36 is pulled downwardly and the contact 37 disengaged from the contacts 38 and .39, so that the winding 0 of the main solenoid S will be open-circuited. To insure the open; ing of the opening switch 0 when the main switch is opened, a lever 55 is connected with the stem 29 of the core 29, and the inner end 56 of the lever is associated with the stem 50, so that when its inner end 56 is raised durin the time the contact 30 of the openin switc is engaged with the contacts 31an 32 ,"the' stop 51 will strike the lever 55 as the main switch opens, so that the. opening switch will be thereby automatically opened.

Having thus described my invention, If w opening and closing the circuit, a movable carrier for the movable contact, a solenoid including separate windings, a core actuated by the solenoid, a toggle device connected with the carrier and also connected with the core, whereby the latter operates through the toggle device for moving the carrier to and from closed circuit position, secondary electromagnetically operated switches for respectively opening and closing the circuits of the solenoid windings, said secondary switches having movable elements, and interlocking mechanical devices between the movable elements of the secondary switches and the solenoid core, whereby the secondary switches can operate only in a predetermined sequence.

2. The combination of a main switch including fixed and movable contacts, electrical means including separate windings for respectively moving the movable contact to and from closed circuit position, a closing switch for closing the circuit of one winding, an opening switch for closing the circuit of the other winding, said switches being disposed adjacent to the said electrical means, levers connected with the movable elements of the closing and opening switches, and lost motion connection be- 39 tween the levers and'the movable element of the saidelectrical means, whereby the clos- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for ing switch is automatically opened after main switch begins to close and the opening:

switch is automatically opened after tho.

opening of the main switch, the opening and' w closing switches each having a solenoid in?" cluding a movable core, levers connected with the said movable cores, and a lost motion connection between the levers and the core of the first-mentioned solenoid, where-" by the closing switch is automaticallyopened after the main switch begins to close, and the opening switch is automatically opened after the main switch begins.

to open. 7

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES EMILE PELLETIER.

Witnesses:

NORMAN F. DE REYNA, 'ROGER MEUNLER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington. D. 0. 

